Typewriter support



April 15, 1952 I J. VALE ET AL 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 TYPEWRITER SUPPORT FiledApril 10, 1946 XMW m6.

April 15, 1952 Filed April 10, 1946 J. VALE El Al.

TYPEWRITER SUPPORT 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Immiors JVALE C.E,KLOPFER 63% W W w*April 15, 1952 J. VALE El AL TYPEWRITER SUPPORT Filed April 10, 1946 4Sheets-Sheet 5 xiiz x 46 45 g ii]; T hall] w enters.

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C). E. KLOPFER \meN Patented Apr. 15, 1952 TYPEWRITER SUPPORT JalvaVale, Birmingham, Ala., and Charles E.

Klopfer, Washington, D. 0.; said Klopfer assignor to said Vale-Application April 10, 1946, Serial No. 660,970

This invention relates in general to supports for typewriters and moreparticularly hasreference to'an apparatus for supporting a typewriter.so

that an operator in any position will have the keyboard arranged to hissatisfaction and convenience.

While many devices have been developed and commercialized for supportingtypewriters, these devices include various types of construction, but

all of them are so made and assembled that the For various reasons manypersons are confined to bed for long periods of time or are required toremain in positions other than an upright position for considerableperiods of time. Even though such persons do not know how to operate atypewriter, their morale can be considerably increased by typing orlearning to type as a pastime.

An object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for supporting atypewriter in various positions.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device for rigidlymounting a typewriter in various adjustable positions over a bed.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a rigid support fora typewriter equipped with means for effecting vertical, horizontal andangular adjustments of the position of the typewriter.

With these and other objects in view, which will appear more fullyhereinafter, the present invention resides in the parts and combinationsshown in the drawings and shown in the following description. 1 g

In order to facilitate an understanding of the "present invention,reference is made to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a side elevational view of a typewriter support constructed inaccordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the typewriter supporting apparatus with thetypewriter removed therefrom.

Fig. 3 is an end elevational View of the typewriter supportirigapparatus shown in the preceding figures.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the column orstandard of the typewriter supporting apparatus.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detailed side elevational view showing themanner in which the typewriter Obviously,

1 Claim. (Cl. 248-124) carrying arm is mounted on the standard forangular adjustment.

Fig.6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 8--6 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 1-! of Fig. l.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged detailed fragmentary view partly in section of theroller elevating and lowering mechanism.

Fig. 9 is another horizontal sectional view taken on line 99 of Fig. 3.

A typewriter support constructed according to the present inventioncomprises a column or standard, a base on which the column is mounted inan upright position, an arm projecting laterally from the upper portionof the column, means for mounting a typewriter on said arm for pivotalmovement about the axis of said arm and means for securing thetypewriter in adjusted positions. As shown in the drawings, theapparatus comprises a column or standard in the form of a tubular bodyI, the lower end of which is received in a socket member 2 carried onthe upper surface of a platform 3 at the apex of an A-frame 4 whichserves as a base. The A-frame is formed of two angularly arrangedtubular arms 5 and B which at one end are joined by welding or othermeans to the platform 3. The free ends of the tubes 5 and B are fixed bya cross brace I joined thereto by weldling, brazing or in any desiredmanner. Extending between the apex of the A- frame and the mid-point ofthe cross brace is another brace 8 which when welded, brazed orotherwise secured in place serves to impart rigidity and strength to theA-frame.

Slidably mounted within the free ends of the tubes 5 and 6 are tubes 9and I0 respectively provided with knurled knobs on the free endsthereof. These slidable tubes are provided to increase the stability ofthe base and resist any tendency for the apparatus to tilt over when intheir extended positions. When these extension tubes are pushedcompletely into the tubes 5 and 6, the A-frame is more compact and iseasily moved.

Suitable means (not shown) are provided to limit the outward movement ofthe tubes 9 and Ill.

A plurality of lugs II are carried on the sides of the tubes 5 and 6 androtatably mounted in the openings in these lugs are rock shafts l2.Additional lugs l3 are carried by the platform 3 to give better supportfor shaft l2. An arm I4 is keyed to each shaft I2 between the lugs l3and projects laterally therefrom. The free ends of the arms I4 areprovided with eyes l5 in which are received thimbles I 6 which in turnreceive the stems of casters ll. On the upper end of the thimble itthere is provided an eye I8 which is connectedby a pin with a clevis H)which is adjustably carried by a rod Zll. A similar clevis 2| isadjustably carried by the other end of rod 20. Clevis 2| is connected bya pin with an apertured lug 22, carried by a block 23. As shown in Fig.8 block 23 is in the form of a casing in which are housed internallythreaded nut-like members 24. These members are mounted on a threadedshaft 25 and are urged apart by springs 25. To prevent rotation of thenut members 24 within the block 23, said members may be of non-roundcross section, 1. e., square, polygonal or oval. Block 23 is providedwith wings 27 which embrace the column I and prevent rotation of theblock 23 about the screw shaft 25.

Screw shaft 25 is supported at its lower end in a socket formed in abearing block 28 which is attached to the lower portion of column I by aclamp 29. A ball 30 is vertically adjustably supported in said socket onthe upper end of a screw 3| threaded into the lower end of said socket.The screw 3| is locked in adjusted positions by locknut 32.

A clamp 33 is secured to the mid portion of column I. Extending betweenthe base and said clamp 33 is a brace 34 which serves to rigidify saidclamp and the bearing 35 for the shaft 36. A crank 31 is fixed to oneend of shaft 36 and a bevel gear-38 is carried by the other end thereof.A bevel pinion 39 is carried by the upper end of screw shaft 25 andmeshes with bevel gear 38. The upper portion of screw shaft 25 isjournalled in a bearing provided in a lug 49.

Upon rotation of crank 31 the screw shaft is rotated which causes thenuts 24 and the casing 23 to move up or down depending upon thedirection of rotation. When the member 23 is moved downwardlysufficiently, the casters are engaged with the floor to support the basecar rying the standard I on the casters permitting the machine to berolled to desired positions. After a desired position is reached, thecrank 21 is turned to raise the casters which lowers the base to thefloor.

Telescoped within the standard i is a tubular sleeve 4% having its lowerend 42 closed. A noncircular opening is formed in the end 42 to receivea corresponding non-circular portion provi ded on the lower end of ascrew shaft 43. A nut 44 mounted on the lower threaded end of shaft 43serves to secure the same within the opening in the end 42.

Tube I, forming the standard, is slotted or split adjacent its upper endand is surrounded by a clamp 45 which is tightened and loosened by ahand screw 45. This construction serves to clamp tube 4I within theouter tube I.

Adjacent its upper portion tube 4! is provided with a shoulder 4? bymeans of which the tube is supported upon a ball bearing member 48 whichsurrounds tube AI and is supported on the upper end face of tube I andthe clamp 45. At the upper end of tube 4! there is provided an outwardlyextending flange 48 provided with openings for receiving bolts 59. Onthe flange 49 is secured, by means of the bolts 50, a hand wheel bymeans of which the tube 4| may be rotated Within the tube I to effectrotation of the screw shaft 43. Extending upwardly from the hand wheel5|, and secured to said hand wheel and the flange ii} on the upper endof tube 4!, is a guide tube 52 having a lower flanged end 53. Asillustrated, tube 52 is rather short and and has a plurality of slotsformed adjacent its upper end which slotted portion is surrounded by aclamp 54 having a hand screw 55 which serves totighten the same and gripthe tube 52 about 4 an inner tube 55 which is telescopically mountedwithin the tubes. 52 and 4 I.

Adjacent its lower portion, tube 56 is provided with an internallythreaded nut-like body 57 which is fixed against rotation within thetube 58 by means of a plurality of screws 58. The screw shaft 43 isthreadedly engaged within the internally threaded portion of thenut-like member 41 so that upon rotation of the tube 4| by means of thehand wheel, the screw shaft 43 will be rotated, and by cooperationbetween the screw shaft t3 and the nut-like member 41, said nutlilremember and tube 55 will be raised or lowered depending upon thedirection of rotation of the hand wheel 5|.

Obviously, before any attempt is made to retate the hand wheel 5|, thehand screw 45 will be adjusted to loosen the clamp 45, and the handscrew 55 will be adjusted to loosen the clamp 54 to hermit the handwheel 5! and tubes 4| and movable therewith to be moved relatively tothe outer tube I and the inner tube 55. After tube 58 has been raised tothe desired position, hand screws 46 and 55 are moved to tighten theclamps 45 and 54 respectively.

As clearly shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 5 of the drawings, tube 56 has weldedto one side of the upper portion thereof a web 57. The web extends abovethe upper end of tube 56 and is perforated to receive a bolt 58. Bolt 58serves as a means for pivotally mounting on the web 51 the bifurcatedend of a fitting 59 to which is secured an arm 60 which is formed. oftubular material.

It is desirable in accordance with the present invention that the anglebetween the arm 60 and the standard I be capable of adjustment so thatsaid arm may extend substantially horizontally or inclined eitherdownwardly or upwardly with respect to the horizontal. For this purposethe upper end of the tube 55 is provided with a cap BI having alaterally extending lug 62 in which is threadably mounted a tubularscrew 63 having a bearing surface 64 mounted on the upper end thereof toengage the underside of the arm 60. In order to adjust the position ofthe tubular screw 53 within the threaded opening in the lug 52, saidtubular screw is made of non-circular cross section within the interiorthereof and has projecting therein a stem 55 of corresponding crosssection. Stem 65 is rotated by means of a helical gear 56 mounted on thelower end thereof which cooperates with, and is driven by, a helicalpinion 8? which is rotated by means of a crank 63.

The helical gear 68 and pinion 51 are mounted in a split block 69 ofcylindrical formations and recessed to provide bearings for the shaftson which the gears are mounted. Block 69 is housed within a casing I0attached to the column 55. The split block 69 provides a simpleconstruction for mounting the gears 66 and 51 in assembled relation.Upward movement of the externally threaded tubular member 53 is limitedby a collar 'EI secured to the lower end of it. With the foregoingstructure, the inclination of the arm 60 may be adjusted at will byrotation of the crank 58.

Mounted on arm 60 is a tube I2 having a slotted tail l3. Extendingthrough the slot in the tail and through the arm 60 is a bolt M, whichalso extends through a ring i5 surrounding the arm 5t and tail 13. Athumb screw I6 is mounted on the end of bolt I4 and serves to secure thetail in axially adjusted positions on the arm 60.

Tube I2 carries an annular abutment 1! against from clutch element 79 bymeans of a tube 83, as is clearly shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings. Athird clutch element 84 is slidably mounted on the tube 72 and is alsofixed to the tube 72 by means of the key 82. As illustrated, key 82 isof a special construction which enables the other bracket 78, whichcarries the typewriter, to be rotatably mounted on the tube 72 withoutinterference from said key. A clutching nut 85 is mounted on thethreaded end 86 of the tube 12 and upon tightening said nut against theclutching element as, said element is moved toward the clutching element8| to grip between the same one of the brackets 78 which carries thetypewriter. During the tightening of the nut 85, sliding movement of theclutch elements 8| and, 84 is transmitted through the spacing tube 83 tothe clutching element 79 and serves to move the clutching element 79toward the abutment or shoulder 77 to grip between said abutment and theclutching element 79 the other bracket 78 which carries the typewriter.From the foregoing it will be appreciated that, by tightening the nut85, an eiiective grip will be produced between the clutching elements 8|and 84 on one hand, and between the abutment 17 and the clutchingelement [9 on the other hand, on the two brackets 18 which carry thetypewriter.

In order to avoid complete release of frictional engagement between theclutching elements and the bracket 78 upon loosening of the nut 85, aspring 8! is positioned between the clutching elements 79 and 8|. Spring81 may extend completely between the two clutching elements 19 and 8|,or a spacing tube 88 may be interposed between two sections of thespring 81 as illusthe typewriter brackets about tube 12. There is onlyslight movement of the clutching elements in shifting from gripping toreleasing positions and consequently there'is enough resiliency in V vthe brackets 78 to permit the operation described.

As'shown in-several figures of the drawing. a collar 89 is mounted onthe free end of the arm 50, being secured in place by a suitable setscrew,

' and a rubber ball or knob 90, and is pushed over said collar 89 toprovide a smooth surface free of 1 sharp edges which will avoid injuryto the operator.

By mounting a typewriter onthe brackets 18 in the manner hereinbeforedescribed, the typewriter may be moved about the axis of the arm .60 andsecured by the clutch mechanism in any adjusted position. Thus, thekeyboard may be arranged either horizontally, vertically, or at anyintermediate position, or it may be completely inverted. By slidablymountingthe tube carrying the typewriter brackets on the arm 60, axialadjustment of the typewriter on the arm '60 may 1 be effected. Apartfrom the adjustment of the by means of a key 82. Clutch element 8| isspaced typewriter relative to the arm 69, said arm may also be. inclinedrelatively to the horizontal, as hereinbefore described, by rotation ofthe crank 88. 'Vertical adjustment of the entire arm is effected, ashereinbefore described, by rotation of the hand wheel 5 I.

In use, the typewriter support of the present invention may be moved onthe casters provided, to a position whereby the typewriter is supportedover the bed of a patient who is to operate the typewriter. The hospitalattendant will then raise the casters from the ground which serves tosecurely anchor the base on the floor. To

avoid any danger duet'o tilting of the machine,

the extension tubes 9 and I8 may be pulled out to their fully extended.position. When in this position, there is no possibility of the machinetilting, even though the patient should bear his full weight on the freeend of the arm 68. By means of the various adjustments above described,the typewriter may be positioned to the convenience and satisfaction ofthe patient who is to operate the same.

From the foregoing description, it will be appreciated that the presentinvention provides a novel, safe structure which will rigidly retain atypewriter in many positions of adjustment. While the typewriter carrierhereinbefore described is particularly useful in supporting a typewriterfor use by bed patients, it is obvious that the machine may equally wellbe employed for supporting a typewriter in various positions 'for use bypersons other than those confined to bed.

We claim:

A typewriter support comprising a laterally extending arm, a cylindricalmember axially adjustably mounted on said arm and fixed against rotationrelative to said arm, a typewriter carrier mounted on said cylindricalmember, for rotation about the axis of said member, friction means forresisting rotation of said carrier about said member, resilient meansurging said friction means into position to restrain movement of saidcarrier about said member, and manually operable means for urging thefriction means to a position to lock the carrier on said member.

JALVA VALE.

CHARLES E. KLOPFER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 575,711 Haley Jan. 26, 1897729,432 Sidway May 26, 1903 835,678 Hammond Nov. 13, 1906 1,293,553Roebuck Feb. 4, 1919 1,337,267 Power Apr. 20, 1920 1,394,217 Parret Oct.18, 1921 1,516,776 McGuire Nov. 25, 1924 1,774,264 Goodrich Aug. 26,1930 1,781,545 Groenstein Nov. 11, 1930 2,002,538 Kindelmann et al. May28, 1935 2,156,862 Maugard May 2, 1939 2,238,294 Scott Apr. 15, 1941FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 23,723 Australia July 25, 1935442,138 France l Aug. 24, 1912 524,889 Great Britain Aug. 16, 1940

